The Pact
by enRAGEd
Summary: When Quan Chi forms a pact with two Netherealm Oni, his opponent, Scorpion, finds some help of his own. With vengeance, survival, freedom and a yet undisclosed goal at stake, this battle will decide much. Pre-Deadly Alliance.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1: The Forming of the Pact – Damnation vs. Salvation**

Of all the demons, hellspawn and malicious souls in the Netherealm, the most feared and terrifying are the Oni. They are many in number and often bizarre in appearance, but each has cultivated a persona that lives up to the cruel and sadistic stereotype that the greater demons have earned. Hell-bound spirits are tortured mercilessly, nothing but playthings for their diabolical games and exercises in cold-blooded savagery. The few mortals that ever enter the realm of fire and damnation, condemned for crimes so inhumane that the afterlife will not have them, are soon found and consumed, often still-living, and no other demon is ever permitted to set eyes upon a mortal before it is reduced to dust and bone. Perhaps they should be called the enforcers of the Netherealm, but all they truly enforce is a ruthless pecking order among the chaos and misery, with themselves undeniably at the top.

Drahmin had not always been an Oni, that much could be seen from his humanoid form and vaguely civilised mannerisms, but at one time his humanity had been stripped away from him, and replaced with immortality. Not that immortality was of any use to him in the confines of the Netherealm. As perfect as it was to indulge the demon's sadistic intent, no one remained in Hell because it was what they wanted. It was most definitely not what Drahmin wanted. He wished to be out in clean air again, away from the noxious black smoke of the underworld, and he wished to eat fresh meat once more. The flesh of mortals in the underworld dried too fast and became like ash in the mouth too soon after death to be truly enjoyed. It was why the demons ate them alive as they did.

The Oni threw down his meat angrily, as the bitter taste of corruption filtered into what had once been a tender mortal female. With hardly a moment past, Drahmin's companion, Moloch, snatched up the morsel and devoured it, bone and all. It did not seem displeased with the taste. Of course, Moloch had always been an Oni, and could not remember something better the way Drahmin could. But the brute's desire to leave the Netherealm was the same; so much similar, in fact, that the once-human had to wonder if he himself had inspired the craving for freedom in his partner.

When the two had first met they had fought over a living mortal, but had settled their short-lived dispute, mainly because Drahmin had been able to introduce the phrase "let bygones be bygones" to the Netherealm. They had talked, or rather, communicated, over their shared meal, and apparently bonded as well as two sadistic and merciless demons could. It had been the taste of the bitter flesh then that had set Drahmin on his tirade against the hell realm, and caused him to explain his desire to return to Outworld. Since then, Moloch had carried the same goal. To be fair, the larger Oni did a lot it had not done before their meeting nowadays. Before it had spoken only in grunts and furious roars, but now words often passed its lips. Granted it was with a very limited vocabulary, and still punctuated with its usual animalistic noises, but it was speaking nonetheless.

Drahmin stood up and stretched while Moloch continued to maul the body lying splayed and half-eaten on the floor. His appearance was as strange as any of his Oni brethren in the Netherealm. He was still humanoid, that much was already explained, but his likeness to a mortal ended there, as his flesh was stripped of skin, leaving him as nothing more than a slab of rotting meat in human shape. He was clothed in an ill-woven loin-cloth for decency's sake and a more practical shoulder guard fashioned from an unnatural metal. Both were part of his Oni form and joined by a web of straps that ran around his body from the armour plate to the belt around his waist. On top of that, his right forearm was encased in a spiked cast of the same metal, a powerful weapon he had been imbued with along with his "gift" of demonhood. The only piece of clothing he wore that was not inexplicably attached to him was the tribal mask he wore over his haggard face, an artefact he had acquired some time after first becoming the monster he now was. It was a useful piece of equipment, as it quelled the near all-consuming rage of his demonic form. It allowed him to think and remember, something that gave him an undeniable advantage over other Oni. It was the only thing that made he and Moloch any different, other than their individual appearances.

Granted the lumbering monster that was Moloch was vaguely human-shaped, it more resembled a massive hairless Gorilla than any ordinary man. Its footsteps shook the earth and it could quite easily pick up a mortal in one of its four-fingered hands. It was a towering abomination, a mountain of flesh and muscle bound in stony grey skin, with three eyes, one centred on its forehead that flashed red on the occasion that it was gripped by the insatiable bloodlust that all creatures of their ilk possessed. At the moment it was a harsh amber, indicating one of those rare occasions when it was afforded clarity of thought, or at least what passed as such for demons. Much like Drahmin, it was clad in its own leather loin-cloth and web of straps, but carried in its left hand something that was not a part of its original immortal form, a heavy metal ball. The vast globe was more than twice the size of a human head and was forged from an iron mined in the mountains of their own hell, and was complete with a chain winding around its arm, up to a collar around its bullish neck. It was a keepsake of its "captivity" at the hands of would-be demon hunters, before it chose to stop humouring them and slaughter them all. As dumb as Moloch was in comparison to its comrade, it was practically Machiavellian when compared with most others of its kind.

And yet, you couldn't tell to see it devour a mortal corpse the way it did. Its hunger was animalistic and its manners appalling, even by the standards of the Oni.

Drahmin stood against the rim of the wide basin of volcanic rock that served as their home, waiting for the brute to finish its meal, when he sensed something. It would be difficult to explain how he sensed this something, so we shall simply say that he caught its scent among the foul and putrid air of the underground inferno. It carried the scent of memories long past, saturated in the other-worldly odours of Earthrealm, Edenia and Outworld, among numerous others. Creatures of the Netherealm had an innate ability to sense things from another plane of existence, and Drahmin was no exception. But what was this thing he was smelling that appealed to him so?

"Do you smell that, Moloch?" he asked, looking down at the monster and its corpse. Looking down at the other creature was a feat, simply because of how big it was ordinarily. Crouching down to devour its meal he still came up to Drahmin's shoulders, but rearing up it rose above him easily. Moloch looked at him, snout covered in blood, and sniffed at the clouded air. Each breath was a low, rasping roar that could have set all mortal teeth in the vicinity precariously on edge.

"Moloch smell other places," it decided after a moment, rumbling the statement in its usual gravely bellow. Drahmin scratched at one of the bulbous sores on his fibrous stomach in thought. It was an odd habit, but the sensation of relieving the furious itching often aided the passage of his thoughts.

"As do I," he confirmed, nodding", but where is it coming from exactly?"

In answer to his question, Moloch pushed itself up onto its feet, standing on its hind legs like a pillar of evil flesh, and casting its eyes about the surrounding walkways. The third eye on the centre of its forehead was not only an indicator of its anger, but a great practical advantage, as it allowed it to see for miles at any one time, heavy smog permitting, many times further than Drahmin could see in the smoky air. After a few moments, it stopped looking around and focussed in one direction. Drahmin craned his neck in the same direction but could barely see over the walls of their crater-like abode. Their lair was high atop one of the larger stone spires, and provided a perfect vantage point from which to spy out fresh mortals.

"Moloch see running, a chase, mortal of magic carrying amulet," the creature rumbled before sinking back to its hands where it was decidedly more comfortable.

"Mortal of magic carrying amulet?" Drahmin repeated, before apparently comprehending and confirming with a nod", the sorcerer. Now what might he be doing so far from his master's right hand? And, judging from the smell, with his master's amulet in his possession."

"Moloch see spawn of hell, Moloch want smash," the lumbering monster reported, this time with a degree more passion in its words. Its eye flashed crimson momentarily and it pounded its metal orb like a closed first into its right palm angrily.

Drahmin raised a festering eyebrow and, with curiosity getting the better of him, pulled himself up the wall of the crater so that he could see over the lip. He could vaguely make out two human shapes, one running from the other. It was quite obvious that the one in the lead was Quan Chi, the sorcerer who served the fallen God Shinnok, at least, if Moloch's summary had been accurate. The other was unknown, but while he radiated the scent of Outworld, this was borne on an undercurrent of bitter emptiness, the stench of the Netherealm that surrounded them manifested in a creature, just like the two Oni. This one was not a mortal, Drahmin new that, but who was he? For a moment, he clung to the edge of the dish, pondering the question he had posed himself. And then, the creeping truth dawned on him. He allowed himself to drop down to the bone-littered floor of their home and ran a withered finger across the scar on his chest idly, in remembrance of something that had happened many years ago.

"Scorpion," Drahmin snarled, his own eyes flashing red behind his mask. Moloch seemed to feed on his companion's anger and growled furiously. For a moment, there was an aura of tangible rage in the lair of the two Oni. The hellspawn ninja had encountered them both in the past on separate occasions, and made them both regret their immortality when they could not die of the wounds he had inflicted upon them. The memories of defeat stirred up hatred in them both, and a lust for vengeance was kindled, though it remained unspoken between them. "Come Moloch," Drahmin commanded, walking across the crater purposefully", I believe we must arrange a meeting with that bastard slave of Shinnok's."

The two Oni stepped down from their nest, dropping onto the empty walkway below. Moloch's feet pounded into the rough stone, leaving footprints amid the debris and sending up a cloud of light dust, while Drahmin landed softly by comparison. The smaller demon led his brutish companion to another ledge further along the walkway and jumped down through a wide hole in the rock surface beneath them. Moloch dropped onto the grey flooring first, and then followed him through the hole into the cave underneath. There was another, similar hole in the floor of the cave that showed yet another stone walkway under their feet. The pursuit would bring the sorcerer and the ninja directly beneath them, and so the demons waited in ambush.

By unspoken agreement, Drahmin withdrew from the centre of the cave, where the hole was, while Moloch took up a position directly over the top of it, watching quietly. For a giant of such immense size, as Moloch undoubtedly was, at times it could move with blinding speed. Which is perhaps why it came as no surprise when there was a moment of blurred motion and Quan Chi appeared in the confines of the stone chamber. He put up a momentary struggle before the monster tossed him into Drahmin's waiting arms. The smaller Oni locked his cast roughly around the sorcerer's chest and clamped his usable hand over his mouth quickly, to stifle any surprise the mortal might wish to express. Having a handful of rotten meat pressed against his lips would likely kill any desire to open them.

The hellspawn ninja, Scorpion, passed below, amber leather woven with gold shining in the fire from the pits below. His armour was adorned with skulls as befitted a creature of the Netherealm, and he carried equipment which, although he had always carried and used it, was truly at home on his demonic form. His spear was the work of a devil's mind, and his swords, although forged for accuracy, precision and near-perfect balance, were only ever used to hammer home his rage in as aggressive a way as possible. He clenched fists, looking from side to side through blank white eyes. His constant scowl did little to dispel the impression that he was an immensely angry soul, and now he had reason, as his quarry had apparently evaded him. Vexed by the sorcerer's disappearance, Scorpion continued along the walkway, the only sensible path for his adversary to have taken.

Drahmin let go of Quan Chi, only for Moloch to grab him in a taloned paw and slam him back-first into the wall of the cave, pinning him to it by his chest. In the dim light, only the Oni, with eyes that could see into the darkest corners, truly knew what was going on, but the sorcerer remained disturbingly silent despite the considerable mental duress he was obviously under. The smaller of the two demons saw their prey's face contorted in a look of quiet horror, sweat streaming down his face, and indeed his whole body, and not just because of the considerable heat that was a constant factor in the realm. Quick on the uptake, Drahmin immediately snatched at the mortal's belt, pulling a round disc of a healthy weight from his hip. He retreated slightly and held it up to the light of the hole in the ceiling, looking once more upon the Amulet of Shinnok.

"Give that back," Quan Chi demanded, finally roused by the loss of his precious medallion. He struggled in the larger Oni's grip feebly, trying to reach for his stolen treasure.

"Silence!" Moloch roared, raising its heavy orb angrily, ready to smash the sorcerer's head like an egg. Drahmin stepped between the two hastily, settling Moloch almost immediately.

"Enough, both of you," he ordered, looking back towards the hole in the floor, before lowering his voice cautiously", we cannot afford for the hellspawn to hear us before our business here is concluded."

"Drahmin?" Quan Chi asked, somewhat incredulously, still wriggling in Moloch's oversized palm, before he collected himself slightly and his surprise turned to anger", I have no business with you, demon bastards."

"Perhaps you would like to be thrown back to the ninja, without your precious little trinket?" Drahmin suggested, only to be greeted by a panic-stricken look and silent pleas in the darkness. Ordinarily, the Oni would have delighted in doing just as he had suggested out of nothing more than spite, but a greater matter required his consideration. "This amulet is a very powerful relic, sorcerer, and I know you can use it to summon a portal leading to Outworld," he said, his proposition obvious before he even made it known", since I lack the capability to make it work, you will use it, and you will take Moloch and I with you when you do."

"I've already tried to use it," Quan Chi said bitterly", the amulet is without influence here, no portals can be opened; you and your friend are out of luck."

"I promise you that we are not," Drahmin informed him, feeling that the sorcerer had enjoyed making his last statement far too much for someone trapped in hell", but since you have brought the topic up, allow me to educate you. As a sorcerer, your power is derived from the essence of Outworld. As with all creatures from other realms, the Netherealm saps that essence from you just as it saps the purity from mortal flesh, and thus you are without power here. On the other hand, our dear friend Scorpion is a derivative of the Netherealm itself, and thus he grows stronger the longer he stays here. The amulet does not have power alone to conjure portals; normally it would require one of great magical prowess to use it, but since your power is weak here you cannot command it as you normally would. However, there is a place far to the North of here where a portal to Outworld can be summoned with the amulet, regardless of your own energy. We will take you there and protect you from your pursuer, and you will take us with you."

Quan Chi dangled for a moment in contemplation, the only sound in the cave made by Moloch, who was growling softly as it always was. Drahmin could see the sorcerer's mouth moving slowly, cursing without words. He was probably unaware that they could see him. "You have a deal," he agreed at last, sounding defeated.

"I had little doubt," the smaller Oni replied, placing the amulet in the palm of the mortal's hand. No sooner had he done so than Quan Chi clamped his fingers around it tightly, perhaps almost possessively. "So what have you done, sorcerer?" Drahmin asked him, as Quan Chi clutched the medallion to his body", why does the hellspawn chase you?"

Quan Chi was silent for a moment, seeming to consider the question like it was immensely complicated and pertained to the meaning of existence. "I killed his family," he said, without a hint of remorse in his voice", and his entire clan."

Moloch gave a soft chuckle at the back of its throat, while Drahmin simply smiled sourly. It was somewhat typical of individuals like Quan Chi to shy from confrontation with those who were stronger than themselves, and then exercise excessive brutality when dealing with those much less powerful. "Perhaps we should have let him kill you after all," the Oni said", it is most fortunate for you that I can stand the taste of ash no longer."

"Odd, I had not thought of myself as fortunate," the sorcerer said, as he arranged the folds of his lower attire and hooked the amulet back in its place on his belt, despite Moloch's oversized hand on his upper torso", but if you truly wish to leave this place, why do you dawdle so?"

Drahmin rolled his neck and began to scratch at the festering sores on his abdomen. He thought deeply for a moment, and realised that he was indeed delaying, but not their journey. There was a question that he wished to ask, an issue that he wished to press, and he knew already that no good would come of it, and yet, he would not allow the trio to move on without addressing the thoughts in his mind. They were memories that contained nothing but spite and anger, bad memories, but nevertheless, if their pact was to come to fruition then he would have to speak his mind.

"One thing troubles me still," the demon said, walking several paces away from the pinned form of the sorcerer and gazing through the hole at an angle, so as to see the fiery river running below", I must admit I am confused as to why_ you_ are carrying Shinnok's amulet. Does he not miss it?"

"Shinnok is dead," Quan Chi informed him, matter-of-factly. Drahmin chuckled throatily and scratched at the inflamed flesh on his stomach again in thought.

"I never expected you to have the nerve to turn your back on such a powerful creature, especially considering that he is the only reason that you and I are not in the same position right now," the Oni said", but then again, you always were an ingrate."

"He died through his own foolishness, not through any fault of mine," the sorcerer said, glowering in the darkness", just as he fell from grace through his own ridiculous errors. We were fools to follow someone so convinced of their own perfection, but so obviously flawed."

"And yet, when we two fell with him and were sentenced to an immortality as demons in this terrible place, who did he insist ascend to the realm of the mortals once again to aid in his rise?" Drahmin asked, his voice dripping with venom and ill-contained aggression", when the time came to choose between his High Priest and his Grand Sorcerer, he chose power over loyalty. And you never once complained. You were always the favoured of the two of us. And then you left him condemned to his fate."

"Like he left you?" Quan Chi asked, arching an eyebrow in a silent challenge. Drahmin ground his misshapen teeth for a moment and then ran the distance between his position and the wall, as though he had been seized with a bloodlust akin to Moloch's, and hammered his cast like a fist into the exposed gut of the sorcerer hanging before him. The victim gave an agonised gasp, and even in the darkness the Oni attacker could see the colour of his flesh changing pigment from grey to an angry black tinged with purple.

"You snivelling, cowardly filth," Drahmin cursed", throw him down Moloch, I sicken at the sight of him."

Quan Chi gave a panicked yelp as the lumbering Oni suddenly tore him from the wall and carried him to the hole once more, shaking him like a rag doll as it did. "No, our deal!" the sorcerer begged in frustration. Moloch paused for a moment, awaiting his companion's response.

"The deal has changed," Drahmin told him, snarling through clenched teeth", you will go back to the spectre, and once he has beaten you to the very limits of your stamina, then we will take you to the portal."

Moloch shook the clinging sorcerer from its hand, sending him plummeting down through the hole in the floor and crashing heavily on the walkway below, no longer in the concealment of the cave. He clambered to his feet and looked back at the hole; his eyes narrowed angrily, but he could no longer see either of the two demons. The round opening was too high for him to reach again without aid, which he had previously received rather against his will. Not that he had any desire to return with the two Oni there, even if he had the option.

"I'll see you rot in this place for eternity, Drahmin!" Quan Chi bellowed angrily, unable to contain his frustration at having been mistreated and handled so callously by the Oni and his huge companion. And then a dismal realisation occurred to him and he clamped his hands over his own mouth worriedly, before casting a quick glance about his surroundings. The ninja spectre was nowhere to be seen, or so it seemed, and so he relaxed for the moment, allowing the tenseness in his muscles to slacken. Removing his hands from his mouth, he brushed the dust from his garb, the armoured shoulder guard and the cloth leggings he wore beneath the emerald drapes suspended from his belt. He wiped the almost constant sweat born from the heat of the Netherealm away from his forehead, running his hands back over the skin of his head, touching on the red tribal markings he had tattooed there, adorning him as one of magic.

With luck he would be able to continue to evade Scorpion, and this would allow him the time he needed to formulate a plan. Obviously it would be ideal to return to Outworld, but he would need a plan for when he reached there. There was one person that the sorcerer could think of that would probably welcome him. Shao Kahn was in a weakened state ever since his failure to invade Earthrealm, and even though the mighty sorcerer Shang Tsung was already working in his employ, it would surely not hurt to put forth his services as a follower of perhaps the most powerful being in the other realm, especially if he were to throw his mastery of Shinnok's amulet into the bargain as an added incentive. Quan Chi had been in possession of the amulet for some years now, and had learned a fair degree of its workings, but sadly had never been able to make it work in the Netherealm. If what the Oni had said was true then he now knew why it would not work.

The sorcerer looked up, mind resolved. He would find the portal that Drahmin had spoken of and use it to return to Outworld. Once there he would ally with Shao Kahn and ensure himself a place of safety in the Emperor's court. He cursed the demons under his breath and took his first step on the path to salvation.

That step was ended halfway through its passing when something sharp impacted heavily with his back. He gasped breathlessly as he felt something piercing, impaling him through the chest, wracking first his torso, and then his whole body with an agonising, rending pain. His eyes bulged as he lifted his gloved hands before himself and found them to be covered in spattered droplets of his own blood. He cried out soundlessly, the only noise escaping his lips a strangled rasping, lost to the roar of flames far below. The point of a sharp, steel blade protruded from his chest and he looked upon it with a silent horror, knowing immediately what it was. The pain that it caused was different from all other forms; it was a pain filled with hatred and a lust for vengeance that had been tempered into the very steel of the weapon that was now sticking straight through his body. The utterly-consuming rage was manifested in the spear, in the same way it was manifested in its wielder; through sheer brutality.

"Get over here!"


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2: The Ambush, the Defeat and Counterattacks**

In his soul's existence, Hanzo Hasashi had lived two separate lives. Once he had been one of the most skilled ninjas of the Shirai Ryu clan, but as powerful as he was, he was also a conceited and arrogant individual. It was the pride that he had allowed to grow inside himself that eventually led to his downfall at the hands of the Lin Kuei, Sub-Zero. Defeated in combat, he pleaded for mercy, only for the blue-clad victor to rip his head from his shoulders. However, unsatisfied with his dishonourable death, he was reborn in the Netherealm as a hellspawn, a creature of vengeance, and returned to the realm of mortals to seek retribution. But upon his return, he found that his clan had been decimated, every man, woman and child slaughtered. The world that had once belonged to Hanzo had been lost to him, and so he ceased to be the warrior he had once been. All his discipline and arrogance was forgotten, and became only unbridled rage, which he fed off in his undead form, becoming stronger with every angered breath he took. He became Scorpion, and vowed to strike down the perpetrator of the cold-blooded murder of his family. For years, the spectre haunted every movement the Lin Kuei made, and waited so that he might finally be avenged.

It came to pass on what would be the final Mortal Kombat tournament. Entering into battle against his hated enemy, Scorpion called forth a vile hand made from the spirits of the Netherealm and they devoured Sub-Zero, dragging him down into the underworld, never to return. The spectre faded, his task complete, and yet, could not rest in peace for a reason beyond his comprehension. Some years later, a Lin Kuei ninja of the same name as the first entered a new tournament in the realm of Outworld, arousing Scorpion's soul once more from the Netherealm. However, discovering that this was in fact the brother of the original, the hellspawn spared him and returned to his brooding in the depths of hell. Twice more he was called from his dwelling, and on both occasions he fought from boredom rather than purpose, but the second time brought him realisation. Held by the magic of someone he had once trusted, they confessed to him that the death of his family had been their own deed. Seizing them up, Scorpion claimed a second vengeance, and a second soul for damnation in the Netherealm; this time the victim was the sorcerer, Quan Chi.

Finally, the true perpetrator of his clan's murder was at his mercy, and so consumed by rage was Scorpion that he had none to give.

Had there been anything of Hanzo Hasashi left in the creature that he had become then he may have been disgusted with himself; instead, all that the ninja had once been had been washed away by the fire of the Netherealm and replaced with boiling blood. Driven by hatred and fuelled by his lust for vengeance, Scorpion retained nothing of the man he had once been. Even the memories that brought about his anger were faded in his mind. The faces of those he had at one time loved had lost their clarity, and even love itself was something that he could no longer put a feeling to, accustomed as he was to the fury that consumed his mind. It could easily have been said that the ninja spectre had paid his humanity for the ability to exact revenge upon those he despised, but humanity or no, with Quan Chi in his clutches, he was finally close to being able to rest in peace.

It had been an almost incalculable amount of time since the battle between Scorpion and Quan Chi had begun in the Netherealm, and in that time each had beaten the other black and blue. Of course, the sorcerer had been the recipient of the most grievous punishment, and his body was a patchwork of angry, swollen bruising and scar tissue. His stomach was still coloured an angry purple from his encounter with the two Oni, Moloch and Drahmin, but since then his form had become a veritable catalogue of bodily injuries. A scar ran down his chest where he had been impaled by Scorpion's spear, an injury that would have proven fatal had it not been for the aura that infested the underworld like the smog that blanketed the ceiling of the cavern-like realm. Being a dwelling of pain and misery as it was, it was vital that the mortals cast into this plain of existence remained alive long enough to experience that pain and misery. It was why nothing short of decapitation, dismemberment and, of course, devouring, could destroy any creature in this realm. Only the demons and hell creatures were truly immortal here, but even Quan Chi was granted a degree of invulnerability; whether he deserved it or even wanted it was quite immaterial.

Scorpion knew about the Netherealm's capability for regenerating even the lowliest mortal, and he had used it to his advantage to exact the full measure of revenge against the sorcerer, but now the hour of retribution was at hand. The two warriors emerged on one side of a large rocky crevasse, two walls of stone towering off into the distance in both directions, a volcanic valley with a black and smoky sky, and a river of molten rock running beneath. The gap between the sides of the valley was traversed by a wide, round plateau with a low, rocky wall running around its circumference. It was every bit an arena for a final fight to occur, but there would be no battle here, only a death. Scorpion carried Quan Chi out onto the circular battlefield, his body draped over his right shoulder, before dumping him heavily in the centre. The sorcerer lay splayed on his back, his body wracked with pain. A criss-cross of scars marked his arms from recent sword fighting with the ninja, but he was too weak to use those weapons anymore. Blood trickled from his mouth and along his cheek as he turned his head from side to side, unable to lift it and look at his hellspawn tormentor.

"How does it feel, sorcerer?" Scorpion asked, the sound of his ninja sword being drawn one final time cutting through the background noise of bubbling lava and chilling screams echoing from one end of the realm to the other. The spectre set the tip of his blade to the stone beneath his feet and crouched, placing his hands on the base of the handle and bowing his head as though in prayer. In truth he was preparing himself, both mentally and physically, for the end. The swelling around his pearl white eyes faded slowly as he controlled his breathing, his hellspawn form shrugging off damage so much faster now that he had returned to the Netherealm. But not for much longer.

Quan Chi spat a mouthful of blood across the floor, the crimson splash staining the grey that formed the sorcerer's resting place. "What are you babbling about, fool?" he gasped, clutching at his ribs feebly as even talking proved almost too painful to bear.

"How does it feel to be at my mercy, just as my clan were at yours?" the hellspawn continued, standing briskly and swinging his sword from side to side, watching it cut a path in the smoke that surrounded them both as he did so. The noise of the blade passing through the air was almost painful in itself. "And how does it feel to be at the mercy of someone you know will show you none?" he asked, the perpetual scowl he wore never leaving his face.

"It does not feel one way or the other," Quan Chi informed him", but I know this, I will not beg like a weakling for my life to be spared."

Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. Scorpion's boot smashed into his side, striking the ribs that had been injured almost since the start of their battle, and he gasped in agony, rolling over onto his side and curling up into a foetal position. "You are a pathetic creature, bastard," the spectre practically spat in disgust", and I shall take great pleasure in destroying you and attaining my eternal rest."

Scorpion took his sword in his left hand and clamped the other around the throat of his nemesis, pulling the man roughly from his position curled up on the floor and set him on his knees, steadying him with that hand until he was confident that the sorcerer could support his own weight for as long as he needed. It seemed odd that this ordeal would end with the two in a situation that was ordinarily reserved for ritual suicide, but it seemed almost fitting. Had Quan Chi not told Scorpion to his face about his part in the murder of his clan then he would never have found himself in the position he was now. It could be said that that moment had been the beginning of the sorcerer's suicide.

"And now," Scorpion said, licking his lips behind the mask that hid his mouth and nose", you will die."

The hellspawn lifted the sword over his head, aiming directly for the back of Quan Chi's neck and a swift decapitation to end what must surely have been months, if not years, of constant beating. But just as the blow was about to fall there was a sudden rush of air and blur of motion, before something launched past the ninja's face and his hands were suddenly stinging with extreme pain. His sword clattered to the ground, sliding to a stop at the other end of the circular area.

"I somehow think not," Drahmin said fairly casually, from his position crouched on the floor some few metres away from where the spectre was standing, his back turned coolly to his adversary", I am afraid I still have use for the sorcerer, and so I cannot let this come to pass."

Scorpion's eyes narrowed, or at least they would have were they not already as narrow as possible in the scowl he was always wearing. The ninja clenched his fists once and took up a fighting stance, setting his feet apart and pointing the forward boot in the direction of his gaze while the other was twisted to the side behind him. His hands drifted before his face, open with palms facing inwards towards each other. He recognised this demon, and had no quarrels with defeating him again before returning to his business. Unfortunately, it did not seem as though it would be that easy, as there was a cacophonous bellow from high above. Instead of looking up, Scorpion dived aside immediately, moments before the monstrous form of Moloch smashed into the ground where he had once stood. Rolling immediately into a crouching position, he looked up to see Drahmin standing next to his companion, as that one grasped at the stone floor and pulled itself up from the crater it had created with its impact.

"There had to be two of you," the hellspawn muttered, before standing and assuming his fighting stance again", you had best leave me to my business, Oni, or this meeting will become incredibly violent in a very short space of time."

"Silence!" the larger demon bellowed, slamming its iron ball into the ground with a ferocity that shook the floor under their feet. Once the momentary tremor had passed, Drahmin stepped forward, ignoring his apparent partner's sudden outburst. At first it seemed that the smaller Oni was not interested in violence, so casual was his gait, and then with a murderous roar, he swung his club for the hellspawn's face.

Scorpion leaned backwards with the blow, letting the metal studs dotting the cast pass his face by a mere inch. He followed up the attack with a counter, bringing his body forward and thrusting his foot into the demon's gut. The tips of his toes struck the decaying flesh of the devil's abdomen, eliciting a grunt from his mouth as he swung again, this time with his uncovered hand, driving his left fist into the chest of the spectre and sending him stumbling backwards a step. With his balance momentarily lost, Drahmin swung a second blow with his metal-encased arm, hitting his opponent in the stomach and doubling him over, before stepping forward and hammering his knee into the face of his hell born adversary. Scorpion reeled back again but kept his eyes locked on his enemy. The demon stepped forward and bowed, mocking the start to an honourable battle which they had forgone in favour of fighting immediately.

"Where is the great Scorpion who beat me once before?" Drahmin asked, raising an eyebrow. Without answering, the hellspawn's eyes followed Moloch as it hefted the fallen Quan Chi onto its shoulder and seemed to be making ready to leave their battleground with the unconscious sorcerer.

Within the blink of an eye, Scorpion's hand shot to his belt and closed around his spear, before he whipped the blade forward, watching it impale the larger of the two Oni squarely in the back. Moloch reared up angrily, dropping its baggage onto the floor heavily, and attempted to remove the sharp object in its spine by pulling forwards against the direction of the rope attached to it. The force jerked the spectre off his feet as he refused to let go of the cord, and he was pulled up into the air. With the momentum this afforded him, Scorpion struck a bone-jarring right fist in Drahmin's masked face, before landing softly on the lumbering demon's back, feet set either side of the spear embedded in its vertebrae. With one swift tug, he retrieved the weapon and placed it back on his belt, before stepping onto Moloch's hunched shoulders and stamping roughly on its forehead. Unsurprisingly, the less educated of the two Oni attempted to smash its antagonist with its metal ball, and when the hellspawn jumped out of the way, ended up cracking the globe on its own skull.

No sooner had Scorpion's feet found the floor than Drahmin was on the attack again, swinging his club wildly as the spectre dodged backwards and forwards, left and right, the metal fist passing inches from his head each time. Noticing that the Oni's mask had fallen from his face, and that his animalistic grunting had become more laboured and intense, the ninja reasoned that his demonic rage had been released. Dodging an attack aimed to strike him full in the face, Scorpion shifted his body sideways and slammed his boot into his attacker's stomach, before setting that foot down, twisting his body and following through the same movement with the other, knocking Drahmin off his feet. Rolling back into a ready position, the Oni tormentor turned and scrambled after his fallen mask, apparently only just realising that it was no longer in his possession. Scorpion was unable to rest for long however, as Moloch made his presence known once more and slammed its fist into the floor, just missing the ninja spectre by a hair's breadth, who side-stepped briskly, before flipping backwards neatly over a horizontal sweep with the lumbering Oni's steel orb, a trail of fire following his feet in the air and singing the brute's flesh as he did so.

Hopping onto Moloch's head once again, Scorpion half stumbled and half ran down its back, before jumping and catching the fumbling Drahmin in the face with a double-footed kick, sending them both crashing to the floor in a heap. As the smaller Oni reunited his mask with his rotten countenance, he was greeted with vision no longer clouded with anger, and the sight of his massive comrade's fist heading at break-neck speed towards his head. Both the demon and the hellspawn rolled aside as the catastrophic monster pounded another crater into what had once been a perfectly level plateau. Scorpion was first up, much to Moloch's chagrin, and he struck the huge monster full in the face with a powerful right hand. Rearing up and clutching at its face, the beast staggered across the platform, letting its ball drop uselessly to the floor and dragging it along behind it like it weighed absolutely nothing. Continuing his attack, the spectre pulled himself up using the larger Oni's chain and grabbed the metal collar around its neck, before striking it again and again in the throat. Out of the corner of his eye, Scorpion noticed Drahmin running at him from behind and, placing both feet on the giant's chest, vaulted from the mountainous creature down to meet his partner.

With the hellspawn's momentum and course decided, Drahmin jumped up to meet him in mid-air, his iron cast leading the charge, and as he turned to address the spectre with his back, the cast smashed him in the face and knocked him to the floor in a heap. Landing on his feet over the dazed Scorpion, the smaller demon grabbed at his back and pulled him to his knees, in the same position that he had forced Quan Chi into a moment ago.

"This charade has gone on long enough, bastard," the Oni spat, reaching to his back and removing his ritual blade from its fleshy sheath. He had waited eons to find a use for the knife that he had once been stabbed with, and now he had the ideal purpose for it. Slitting the spectre's throat would prove to be very satisfying, particularly if it was followed with the hellspawn taking a short, quick trip downwards into the bubbling lava beneath. They couldn't kill him, but they could wear out his undead essence, meaning he would have to be reincarnated, giving them the time they needed to take the sorcerer and escape the realm.

"I agree," Scorpion concurred, before slamming his head backwards into Drahmin's face, his back forcing the demon's left hand, clutching his knife, into his own chest. Impaled on his own blade, the Oni collapsed for a moment, incapacitated and wounded. Taking his opportunity, the hellspawn clambered to his feet clutching his newly recovered ninja sword, and was about to turn and put it to use when Moloch reappeared and picked him up in one of its empty paws, hefting him into the air and shaking him like a rag doll. The sword was jarred from his hands and clattered to the floor, as the beast reclaimed its own weapon and grasped it in the hand opposite the one it now used to hold Scorpion's comparatively frail form.

"Well done, Moloch," Drahmin congratulated his larger companion, as he removed the blade embedded between his ribs and sheathed it in his back again. His annoyance was obvious, both for his opponent and for his companion, as they had both shed light on exactly how poor the smaller Oni's ability to fight had become after so many years of torturing only the feeble. He made a note to exercise his skills more thoroughly once they were out of the Netherealm.

Drahmin stalked over to the prone form of Quan Chi and stood over him, placing a foot on either side of the sorcerer's torso. He reached down and took the fallen man's throat in his left hand, feeling for signs of life. Finding him alive but knocked out, the demon reared back and slapped him into consciousness, the stinging sensation of the Oni's rotten palm against his cheek rousing him from his fatigued slumber. "Wake up," the decaying creature barked, as the other individual's eyes failed to focus", the time for you to make yourself useful has come."

"What do you want with my quarry, monster?" Scorpion asked, struggling in Moloch's grip, which the larger creature seemed not to take too kindly to. Lifting his ball in the other hand, it held it as though wanting to clap its hands together and squash the hellspawn as though he were an insect. Its fellow demon stepped forward and halted it with a hand, before turning to the ensnared spectre wearing a smile behind his mask. His grin was almost tangible despite the down-turned mouth adorned upon his synthetic face.

"I am not foolish enough to make our business known to all of the inhabitants of the underworld," the Oni replied nonchalantly, much to the other individual's annoyance", however, you need not concern yourself with such things where you are going." With that, Drahmin nodded at Moloch, who lifted the hellspawn into the air as though he weighed less than nothing, and tossed him from the battlefield plateau. Scorpion did not utter a sound as he plummeted, but for a faint hiss as his body was instantly destroyed upon contact with the molten river below. "Rather disappointing," the smaller demon said, wishing there had at least been a scream of the blood-curdling variety", and now we leave."

With that, the lumbering brute gathered Quan Chi and threw him onto its back, before the two Oni destroyers left the platform on what would be a relatively short pilgrimage to their destination, the hidden portal to Outworld. It felt almost taboo for a demon to have hope, but Drahmin was practically brimming with it. Returning to the realm of the mortals would pose opportunities new and old for him; he would feel the sun again, taste flesh that did not rot in his mouth as he ate it, and of course, he could choose his allegiance at his leisure. He was a demon with a vast knowledge of the inner workings of the Netherealm, and with his loyalty no longer owed to Shinnok, he would be a veritable hot commodity among the factions of evil. He could hardly wait.

In their wake, Scorpion's ninja sword glowed white hot on the floor, and seemed to evaporate from existence altogether, just as its owner had done mere moments before.

* * *

Every death was another reason to seek revenge, every failure was another sin he needed to atone for, every reincarnation was a baptism of fire and hatred. Falling into the lava had killed him instantly, so quickly he had not felt the flames igniting his body, but his consciousness remained, and as he was reborn once more into the Netherealm, it felt as though he had been tossed into boiling water. His bones were formed from the surrounding rocks and turned pearl white, then fire from the burning pits rose and adhered to the skeleton, forming a burning body that hung weightless for a moment, drifting above the floor below. And then, the will of the spectre created an outward form, a layer of flesh and leather covering the smouldering figure and creating a yellow-armoured ninja. His hellspawn form recreated, Scorpion's mind plunged into a world of pain within his own being. Flaming spirits drifted around this newly formed vessel for a tortured spirit, suspending him in the air before dropping him to the rock below. Unable to support his own weight so soon after resurrection he fell to his knees, clutching at either side of his head as the agony rocked him. Beneath his mask, a trickle of blood ran from his nose, and then, the pain ceased.

Placing a hand on the scarred ground beneath him, Scorpion breathed his first virgin breath of the stench that was the air of the underworld. He was kneeling on the plateau he had been thrown from, the craters littering the ground quite obviously the handiwork that Moloch had wrought mere moments ago. Or at least, it felt like mere moments. He did not know how long it had been since he had died, but that was inconsequential. He would find and punish the two Oni, and then finally have his revenge on the sorcerer. With resolution he stood, and turned in the direction of the only exit from the plateau, ready to hunt his prey once more, only to find himself looking at a new individual.

Standing near the centre of the great, battle-scarred platform was a creature that appeared human, wearing a robe that covered its entire body, save its head and hands. Under normal circumstances the robe may have appeared emerald green, but in the unhealthy smog of the underworld its colour had been tainted darker. The wearer was male, with dirty blond hair that was beaded with sweat, obviously not an individual who was accustomed to the heat of hell. Two icy blue eyes ringed with darkness, but glowing with a gentle, laughter-filled fire, regarded Scorpion from his position, watching and waiting for something. The hellspawn tilted his head at this newcomer, but they remained silent and unmoving. There was no time for ridiculous stand-offs, with every passing moment his quarry retreated further and further from him. Expecting nothing but trouble in this land of monsters and demons, the ninja ran at the individual, only for his intended punch to connect with air, leaving him standing somewhat bewildered at the lack of impact. The green-clad man had vanished. Raising a suspicious eyebrow, Scorpion turned and saw the strange figure again, this time standing at the other end of the plateau.

"You are too quick to resort to violence, my friend," it said, in a voice that betrayed it as human, or at least something close to that", permit me to introduce myself; I am Selsor Omnis, of the Emerald Order. Unless this smoke is greater in its ability to obscure than I realise, then I offer my robe by way of proof."

"The name means nothing to me," the hellspawn snapped, his hands clenching into fists with his frustration", and your games are wasting my precious time."

"We have all the time you wish, we will catch the Oni and their capture before they flee this realm," the one called Omnis replied, to which Scorpion simply frowned", but of course, you don't know what their intentions are do you? We have followed your sorcerer for some time now and we happened to overhear his conversation with the demons. They wish to use his amulet to escape this infernal realm, and I cannot say I blame them."

"Then my time is shorter than I realised," the dead man said", enough of this."

"Regardless of any feelings you have to the contrary, you cannot fight Moloch and Drahmin alone, surely your last ill-fated battle taught you that much," the robe-wearer said quickly, holding up his hands to stop the spectre from turning to leave", which is why we would like to make you a proposal. We wish to obtain the amulet that Quan Chi is using. Obviously, once we have it you will be free to eliminate the sorcerer, and then the Oni will no longer be a concern. We will help you to defeat the demons, and in return, you will allow us to take our prize."

"Perhaps you would like to inform me as to the identity of this "we" first, before I agree any terms with you," Scorpion said, willing to listen, but obviously not particularly pleased with his situation.

"Gladly," Omnis said, his face brightening noticeably, before gesturing to another robe-clad man away to his right, who had not been there mere moments before. This individual was dressed in much the same way, but for his darker skin colour and lack of hair on his head there was not much to tell between them. Unlike his brethren, this one seemed deeply ill-humoured, wearing a scowl on his face that would have given the vengeful spirit's own countenance a rivalry worthy of the ages. "This is Brother Genais," the first robe-clad one told him", he has a second name, but I dare not try and pronounce it, and Brother suits him well enough, since we are near enough family. Together we will help you to defeat the Oni and retrieve the sorcerer's head. Whether the rest of him is attached to it is entirely your choice."

The terms seemed acceptable, although Scorpion wondered what exactly the other two individuals could possibly contribute to the battle that was to come. Even so, there was a slight doubt in his mind that needed to be answered. "What exactly do you plan to do with the amulet once you have it?" he asked. He too had pursued that same trinket once; it had in fact been his last assignment before his death at the hands of Sub-Zero. He could not help but wonder why everyone was fighting for control of it, even if he knew it was a powerful relic.

"You need not worry yourself with details; simply know that we mean to use it for no evil," Omnis replied, before continuing", we know that it contains a power that we desperately require to harness for our own sakes, and that is all you need knowledge of. But come, we have lost much time, and it is imperative we catch our quarry before they go beyond our reach."

Scorpion found it suspiciously convenient that their time had been boundless while the offer was being made, and yet now that he had questions, they needed to hurry. Still, the queries he wished to make were superfluous; as long as he was able to settle his considerable vendetta against the sorcerer, the motives of his partners were a point that was considerably moot. Not that it would matter to him in his afterlife anyway. But one question remained. "I accept your offer," he said, nodding to confirm his statement", but how do you expect us to catch the demons before they leave the Netherealm when they have such a large lead over us?"

"Sorcery, of course," the robe-wearing man said, tracing two mirrored S-shapes in the air with his hands, which appeared in an afterglow of green fire as he did so", unlike Quan Chi, my powers are unaffected by the draining essence of the Netherealm. Put simply, Brother Genais and I are of the same realm, and are able to feed from one another's innate energies in order to use our abilities. And while I wield powerful magic, he is a strong and talented combatant."

"I am unimpressed," the hellspawn informed him, watching the trails of fire dissipate into the smoky air", but if you can do what you say you can, take us to them, so that we may obtain our goals."

"Very well," Omnis said, shutting his eyes and bringing his hands to his face as though he were praying. The first Scorpion saw of the magic was the same green fire the man had conjured mere moments before engulfing his body. To the left, the sorcerer's companion began to set alight in much the same way. Looking down at his own feet, the spectre watched as his form was also swallowed in an emerald inferno, until the whirling tornado of flames surrounded him entirely, obscuring his vision.

And then, there was a sensation of very fast, very brief movement...


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3: Endgame and the Strangers' Purpose**

"Sorcerer's wounds heal," Moloch grumbled from somewhere behind. Drahmin continued to walk, looking from side to side as he did, but he had heard his fellow demon's comment. If Quan Chi's wounds were mending themselves then they were closer to the portal to Outworld than the smaller Oni had first thought. This area, due to its links to the other realm, was saturated in its energy, and their unconscious guest could feed from that. It would not be enough energy so that he could oppose them in any way, but it would be enough to awaken him long enough that he would be able to read the ancient inscriptions here, open a gateway and take them with him on his exit. After that, his life, let alone his energy, was inconsequential to them. He would be killed on the other side of the portal and that would be the end of their brief, but productive, partnership.

Drahmin had led his larger companion to a place in the Netherealm that was no longer in keeping with the ordinary theme of the cavern-like world. Large pillars of stone that had been sculpted instead of formed from molten rock decorated their path, and the walls on either side were splashed with huge murals celebrating lost pages in history that none of the beings in hell cared to recall or research. Ahead of them, the walkway passed under a huge arch that ran under an enormous wall, which in turn formed an entrance to a great tomb. There was a noisy chattering in the darkest corners of these rooms and pathways, but the sight of the Netherealm's two most imposing Oni was enough to send even the most formidable lesser demon scampering for a darker place to lurk. Moloch and Drahmin had earned celebrity status among the monsters of the hell pits, mainly because they were the only creatures in this place to have formed an alliance. Such things were unnatural in the free-for-all that was the underworld.

Using his eyes and ears to maintain vigilance, in case Scorpion began to follow them sooner than he would wish, the once-human Oni stopped at the archway, his passage blocked by fallen debris from the ceiling of the ingress. Calling Moloch to a stop, but telling it to retain its grip on the senseless sorcerer, Drahmin reared back his metal-encased fist and hammered it into the debris, smashing a hole in the unsettled detritus, and subsequently forming a passageway as the rubble collapsed both outwards and inwards. Stepping through the newly-formed doorway, he ushered his companion with its burden into the confines of the ancient temple.

This new place was gloomy, and shadows haunted every corner. At the centre of the wide, high-ceilinged chamber was a small altar stained with what appeared to be fresh blood, with two eternally-flaming candelabras on either side of it, illuminating its surroundings, and also what appeared to be ornate carvings on its side. The decaying humanoid aimed a finger at the shrine, and his partner complied, dropping Quan Chi beside it. Almost at once, the jewel at the centre of the sorcerer's amulet ignited internally, and the engravings did the same, shining with an incandescent light. Drahmin approached them and crouched beside the bleeding stone, looking at the glowing runes with his head tilted to the side. He did not recognise them, whether because he had never been able to, or simply because his demonic eyes were forbidden from reading them, was not something he could determine. He was willing to wager however that the prone being beside him could read them. Refocusing his attentions, he took in the view via the archway at the rear of the room. Beyond the reaches of the chamber was a room lit red by fires beneath ground level. A long catwalk passed over a river of molten rock, and led straight to a large stage, atop which was a slowly rotating effigy of Quan Chi's amulet. This was obviously the portal, but in order to use it they needed both the amulet and the knowledge from the altar.

"This is a fine state of affairs," the Oni snapped angrily, turning to his compatriot", all this work and it would appear that only the sorcerer is of any use here, rendering me worthless. I think I understand now how you feel all the time."

Moloch looked at him dumbly, and Drahmin grinned to himself behind his mask. Of course, despite his outburst he knew he was living a better life than his counterpart. It was frustrating to be useless in this situation, but in every other point of time leading to this place, it was he who knew the answers that they sought. The heftier demon was stupid, it was true, it could not think with the same clarity, nor could it appreciate the finer points of life in general, the kind that awaited them in Outworld. Then again, that creature's rage was born from simply being an Oni, it could not feel frustration, hatred, bitterness, the way its formerly human brethren could. In truth, although Drahmin would never openly admit it, Moloch lived the better life, simply because it was an easy life. If there was another demon it smashed it, if there was a mortal it devoured it, and if there was a wraith it chased it until it vanished from its sight. It would be puzzled for a mere moment and then return to smashing and devouring. For the more complicated of the monsters, there was cause, there was blame, and there was no simplicity.

Quan Chi stirred quietly, lifting a head heavier than an object of extreme weight. Unsurprisingly, his body still ached from his ordeal, but much less than it had the last time he had been awake. It was strange but he could almost feel vitality rising inside him. His eyes remained unfocused for a moment as he stirred in the throes of consciousness, before they snapped open and he cast wildly about, looking for the spectre that had hunted him mercilessly through the Netherealm. Finding Scorpion to be insubstantial, he breathed a momentary sigh of relief, before noticing Drahmin crouching next to him. Then he groaned, which brought the demon's attention to him.

"Awake at last," the creature said, glaring at the back of the fallen man's grey-skinned head", now if your brain is not permanently ruined you might turn your consideration to these markings. I warn you that non-compliance is not an option for you sorcerer; as much as I would dearly love to leave this realm, I would not mind staying for the opportunity to crack that invitingly egg-shaped cranium of yours."

It was an outrageous bluff, of course, as the Oni had no intention of relinquishing his one opportunity for freedom in centuries of imprisonment in hell, but it seemed to work as well as an actual threat would. Quan Chi immediately recovered himself and climbed up to his knees, using the blood-slicked altar to support himself as he scanned the illuminated runes quickly. Moloch stood and grunted quietly as it waited for the task to be complete, while Drahmin resumed watch for the vengeful spirit that would surely be tailing them by now. Luckily he would have taken so long to revive that he had no hope of catching them now, but there was always the chance that his reincarnation had been speeded by his desperation. Even so, only the main entrance to the apparent mausoleum needed to be watched, and that was why the Oni continued to maintain a vigil over all the entries and shadowy corners of the room. He did not trust Scorpion and the Netherealm's penchant for trickery together.

"I understand," Quan Chi said, nodding to himself", we need only approach the portal with the amulet in hand and envision where it is we wish to travel. The sorcery surrounding the gateway will do the rest."

"Good, then we must go now," Drahmin said, unsure why, but suddenly anxious. His nostrils twitched, the scent of another hell-born being's presence invading his sinuses. A few steps away, Moloch seemed agitated also, its grunting becoming irregular and angered.

"Not yet," the sorcerer said quickly, much to the demon's annoyance", there is much knowledge here, and knowledge is power. These runes tell of much, the Dragon King, the undefeatable army, and a war with the Gods themselves."

"But, sorcerer," Drahmin said, turning to face the man knelt beside him", what use is knowledge and what use is power if you are dead?"

The altar exploded in a shower of stone fragments and blood as something slammed into it, rending it apart as though it were nothing more substantial than aged parchment. A cloud of ash and dust enveloped the three individuals at the centre of the chamber, and the ever-burning lanterns overbalanced and clattered to the ground, spilling their embers to the floor in the momentary blindness. Amid the sounds of Drahmin's cursing and Moloch's incensed howling, Quan Chi heard the all too familiar sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath. As the dust began to clear, the sorcerer found himself staring up at the form of Scorpion, standing atop the pile of rubble that had once been his reading material, sword in hand and with milk-white eyes piercing him with their hatred.

"Now die, bastard!" he roared, lifting his sword once more over his head, just moments before the towering form of the larger Oni bulldozed into him, metal ball leading the charge. Moloch obliterated what remained of the altar as the hellspawn back-flipped out of the way, landing out of the monster's reach. Drahmin took up a position beside his companion, forcing the sorcerer behind him roughly. There was a moment of stand-off, and then the former human jabbed an angry finger at his opponent.

"Get out of our way," he commanded, the fact that he had come so far only to be stopped at the final hurdle making him almost quiver with rage. Beside him, his partner slammed its over-sized fist into the floor, longing to do the same to their enemy's skull. "We beat you once already," the smaller Oni pointed out, not thinking rationally enough to realise that Scorpion had reached them far too quickly", what did you hope to achieve by coming here, another useless death?"

"Considering his handicap, I thought he did rather well," said a voice behind the demons, which caused Drahmin to cast a furious glance back over his shoulder. Standing before the other entrance to the temple stood two individuals clad in dirtied green robes. Turning back, the putrefying monster cursed once more under his breath, and it was as much for his lack of foresight than because they were now caught in a very disagreeable position. Of course there would be others in the Netherealm seeking escape, opportunistic thieves out to capitalise on the two Oni's good fortune, and he had no doubt that these two newcomers were exactly that.

"Even if we are the ones with the handicap this time, we have come too far to simply give up our dream of freedom from this realm," he growled, as Moloch turned to face the interlopers with an obviously murderous intent", we Oni will do what we have done for eons, and destroy all three of you."

"We hoped as much," the voice behind him said, the sound of clothing being ruffled as two green robes were cast off revealing light and flexible armour, created for the purposes of quick movement during combat, and daubed emerald as much of their wardrobe was. Both individuals wore the same general equipment, armoured plates over chain mail to cover the open joints, but the difference came in how they wore the apparently uniform protection. Neither seemed comfortable with a confrontation, but while the speaker held himself in an awkward manner, the other had the discipline of a seasoned fighter. Of course, when one's hands glowed with ethereal flame, then stance was hardly a concern.

Unable to control its anger any further, Moloch charged towards them, separating them with its huge bulk as they were forced to move in order to avoid the assault. At the same time, Scorpion advanced with a rush, striking Drahmin full in the face before he had the opportunity to even realise the spectre had moved from his position. Slow to recover, the demon was hammered twice more with pounding blows, before moving his metal cast up to block the onslaught, catching a further two fists on his impromptu shield. Turning to the offensive, as suited him, he struck back with a sharp kick to the stomach, the decayed flesh of his sole hitting the solar plexus of his opponent, before slamming his cast down on the back of the hellspawn's head as he bent over. Locking his opponent's arm with his own left hand, the Oni continued his assault, slamming the steel fist down again and again on his back and neck.

On the other side of the chamber, the two followers of the Emerald Order recovered their bearing quicker than Drahmin had recovered his, and were quick to go on the offensive against their lumbering enemy. Omnis cast down a handful of jade fire before Moloch, which caused it to rear up angrily, having already been burned once by the ninja spectre fighting its companion in their last battle and not wishing to feel its flesh singe again so soon. Using this distraction, Brother Genais clambered up onto its back, using the collar around its neck for needed leverage, before sitting astraddle the back of its head and aiming a powerful right fist into the glowing amber eye at the centre of its forehead. This caused it to shine a dazzling crimson, but rather than repeat its old mistakes and strike itself in the face, Moloch bucked instead, ducking and lifting its head wildly until even the sturdy hold of the second green fighter could not maintain its grip. The result was that the combatant was flung from the monster's shoulders and sent crashing to the floor at his similarly-clad partner's feet.

"That certainly didn't work," Omnis said, helping his comrade in arms to his feet, as the monster roared at them from across the room, before taking a heavy breath in, the sudden intake of air almost enough to pull both men from their feet. With a wave of his hand, an emerald wall appeared in front of the two humans and they remained unaffected by the beast's attack. Hearing the sounds of extreme conflict elsewhere in the tomb, the sorcerer waved his fighting companion over to the fight between Drahmin and Scorpion, choosing to combat Moloch on his own.

Leading the hellspawn a merry dance, the smaller of the demons rained blow after blow on the back of his enemy's skull, oblivious to the other fight occurring in the room. Unsurprisingly, he did not see the green warrior break from his original battle and join the fray, only realising his presence when he was smashed in the back of the head by a strong roundhouse that sent him flipping over Scorpion's back and crashing to the floor. The reeling ninja responded by collapsing on top of him, pinning him to the floor. Drahmin growled in frustration as the weight held him down, as Brother Genais took up a position with his knee in the spectre's back, before leaning down and hammering his fist into the Oni's face. Fortunately for him, however, the newly regenerated Quan Chi also entered the battle, and grabbed the attacker under the arms, before lacing his fingers behind the other man's head in a full nelson. Not to be held for long, the emerald-clad fighter dropped backwards onto his backside, causing the sorcerer's jaw to rebound from his hairless head. The bone-jarring impact caused him to release the hold and stand perfectly straight before collapsing like a felled tree.

Omnis fared little better than his fellow sorcerer, his balls of green fire no longer acting as a deterrent to the enraged Moloch now that its bloodlust had been well and truly awakened. Advancing with fury, it hardly noticed when the flames were no longer aimed at the ground beneath its feet, and were instead redirected at its body, burning and singing its flesh as it powered onwards. Beating huge craters in the ground as it barrelled towards its opponent, the Oni pursued its quarry with a single-minded determination only a creature as dull as itself could possess. With a sweep of its hand, however, the blond magus conjured a green tile beneath his feet and propelled himself out of harm's reach as the brute came to a crashing halt where he had once been. Turning on his retreating form, Moloch was met with another barrage of jade flames, before a lance of a substance that could only be described as the essence of reality itself struck him full in the face. It reared up, blood flowing from his third eye in a torrent as it burst from the impact, before it charged blindly, one eye destroyed and the others full of its own vermilion fluid. This time, however, Omnis could not move as quickly as he had before, and was smashed into the air, before crashing to the floor in much the same manner as his companion had done previously, landing roughly amid the other humanoid fighters.

"Don't worry, I've got him right where I want him," the dazed sorcerer assured his partner as he was helped to his feet in the same way he had done earlier. Brother Genais shook his head.

"Must you?" he asked unimpressed, as the usual voice of their group dusted himself off and straightened his armour, smiling despite the obvious bruising he had and would likely have for quite a while afterwards.

"Of course, might as well find the best in a bad situation," he said. The bellowing of the incensed Oni was joined with the livid swearing of the fallen Drahmin as the hellspawn recovered on top of him and was swiftly kicked off angrily. Quan Chi remained prone on the floor, blood spilling from his lips where the impact of the more physical emerald warrior's head on his chin had caused him to bite into his own tongue. "And after all, what could be a worse situation than this?" the sorcerer asked, reigniting the flames in the palms of his hands casually as his partner took up a combative stance.

"I trust you've never learned that that's the wrong thing to say when you are in one of these positions," Scorpion muttered as he rolled to his feet next to them, joining the fighter in facing off with Moloch, while Omnis turned his attention to the smaller demon.

"I'm not really one for superstition," the sorcerer informed his part-time colleague, before turning back to his opponent and launching two handfuls of burning energy into his rotten form, creating a smell of flesh that was not only decaying, but also charred. The previously blind monster blinked the blood from its eyes as its third grew back inside its head, causing discomfort and yet more aggression to build in its massive frame. It threw back its head and howled as the two opposing fighters advanced on it.

Quick to turn on the offensive once more, the burned Oni charged forwards, trying to reduce his opponent to a fleshy nothing as soon as possible. Holding out his palm, a shield of green light appeared between his skin and the iron cast that Drahmin called a weapon, blocking the attempted strike, before Omnis drove his own fist into the mask his enemy was wearing. The impact was enough to bruise his knuckles immediately, but it also made the demon lose his balance, and with his attention more on remaining upright, the sorcerer brought his hands together and drove them at his opponent like a spear, a piercing rod of energy emerging from his fingertips and effectively impaling his adversary before the conjured weapon vanished and he dropped to the floor, a fist-sized whole in his stomach. Blood seeped out from under the demon's prone form, before he sat up and started to climb to his feet, the red pool only spreading further as he did so. The meat of his gut seemed to ooze together, filling the hole and completing his form. Despite the mask hiding his face, Drahmin now looked very angry.

Moloch had come down heavily upon the two fighters, sweeping Scorpion aside with its unarmed hand, before smashing down its ball a hair's breadth from Genais, who jumped back swiftly in the nick of time. Grasping a hold of the chain wrapped around the brute's arm, the green-clad combatant swung his feet up and drove them into his adversary's solar plexus under its arm, making it stumble backwards. Continuing to clutch the iron links, the human climbed around and took hold of the collar once again, this time using it as a handhold with which to swing from to build momentum and drive another double-footed kick into the creature's stomach once more. Moloch reared up, standing on its hind legs, rare for a beast of its girth that chose ordinarily to remain on all fours, and then plummeted to the ground with all its weight, hoping to crush the annoyance clinging to its neck. The annoyance responded by setting both of his feet on its chest and pushing off moments before they hit the ground, providing him with a gentle glide along the flooring, while the monstrous Oni crashed face first just feet away from his boots. By then Scorpion had managed to pick himself up and, with the beast felled, jumped onto its back. Taking his spear from his belt, he plunged the blade to the hilt in the flesh between two massive ribs, causing a thunderous roar as the creature stood up beneath him.

Meanwhile, Drahmin had taken up yet another offensive against the sorcerer he was facing, swinging his club wildly in a vain attempt to hit the man, who was using both hands feverishly as he repelled each attack with a green wall of light. The demon had no intention of stopping it seemed, so Omnis selected a newer tactic. Aiming a hand at the pile of rubble that had once been the bleeding altar, he chose one of the larger pieces of stone and swung his arm around to point directly at the Oni, the piece of rock following the trail of his hand and smashing off his skull. Pleased with the success, he repeated the task. This time however, the spoiling humanoid swung his club in the way, batting the flying shrapnel away to the floor where it shattered. Not to be put off, the sorcerer tried again, but this time the boulder smashed apart against the steel of Drahmin's metal-encased fist. This time it was the magus's turn to be frustrated, and he exerted a greater force over the gathered detritus, before pelting his opponent with a hail of broken shards. Batting a swathe in the barrage of rocks, he was unable to deflect most of the flying stones and was almost buried under what had once been the altar.

Scorpion cursed loudly as Moloch stood up under him, carrying him into the air and clawing angrily, attempting to grab at one of the limbs the ninja had hooked around its neck. Pulling the spear from the newly-formed wound, the spectre placed it back on his belt and attempted to ride the storm, clapping his arms around the giant's head and covering its eyes. In response to this, the monster bellowed loudly, the noise rending his insides and shaking his whole body with its intensity and sheer volume. With the other fighter clinging almost desperately to the head of the demon, Brother Genais stepped forward and proceeded to thrust his foot into the stomach of their opponent, before hopping back as it swung wildly and blindly in an attempt to maul him. Undeterred, he stepped forward again, this time striking his right foot into its abdomen three times in quick succession, before following up with a jarring punch into the leathery grey skin on its chest. Once again, Moloch thrashed and struck out, and once again the emerald-clad combatant simply moved aside until it calmed itself and returned to attempting to remove Scorpion from its back. With its attention lost for a second time, the fighter hopped forward and quickly brought its leg up right under the creature's jaw as it leant down, quickly jerking it out of the way so that it could move around the bulky head, before stopping and coming back down with the combined forces of gravity and muscle work. At the same time, the blindfold of the ninja's arms came away, and the Oni was greeted simply by the underside of the warrior's boot, smashing into its forehead. Moloch tumbled to the ground with an almighty crash, the stone beneath it splintering as it did, and the hellspawn sprawled from its neck, collapsing on the floor by its head.

Quan Chi sat up and cast around dizzily, finding himself confronted with the backs of three warriors who were not on his side. His face fell as he watched the form of Scorpion climbing to its feet from next to the grounded monstrosity and standing beside the two armour-clad individuals that the sorcerer was sure he had not yet been introduced too. Instead of doing what he would normally do in this situation, the imprisoned magus decided against launching a back attack, vastly outnumbered as he was. Casting around, he found himself staring into the enraged eyes of Drahmin, who was practically covered with fallen rock.

"Help me up, curse you!" he barked, drawing the attention of the three unfriendly combatants from their position standing over Moloch. Quan Chi responded by getting up and running from the chamber as quickly as possible, aware only of the once-human creature shrieking murderous intents at his retreating back. There was a cacophony of noises behind him, but the sorcerer was past caring.

Running through the door leading out of the tomb, he found himself on a narrow bridge over a wide river of molten rock. At the end of the pathway was an enormous model of the amulet that was attached to his belt, revolving with a strange mechanical whir. Recalling the words of the tablet, he grasped the relic n his possession with one gloved hand and ran towards the replica that stood against the far wall. Almost immediately it warped and altered as reality was rent apart by the mystic forces bound in the amulet. His plan in mind, Quan Chi saw the inner halls of the palace of Shao Kahn, and his speed increased, before he vaulted with all his power into a dive, heading straight for the portal into Outworld. Once he entered the other realm, his power would return and he would see about putting the new skills he had learned to a greater use.

And then, the portal changed before his eyes. Instead of the polished interior of the palace of a great warlord, he was greeted with sand coloured walls and floors, some form of desert sanctuary. Unable to stop himself, or understand what had altered his course, the sorcerer plummeted head first through the gateway and crashed to the rough stone below, the hole in reality sealing itself behind him as he fell. He lay for a moment, his mind slightly off-balance, and not for the first time that day, but he could feel himself getting stronger, and that was a sure sign that he had returned to Outworld. He had just ended up in a different place than where he had intended, and the first order of business was to learn exactly where that was. He stood up and cast an eye over his new surroundings.

He appeared to be standing atop a raised stage; before him was a wide plinth that reminded him of the altar in the temple before his journey. The room he was standing in was dark, illuminated only by the ever-glowing torches beside the monolith, but there appeared to be shapes in the shadows, unmoving but shapes nonetheless. Sensing no threat from the silent and still beings standing below him, and knowing that the last stone table had granted him much knowledge, Quan Chi stooped before this one and wiped away the apparently centuries old grime that had accumulated there. Waving his hand across the writing beneath a second time caused an almost spontaneous reaction to the presence of his amulet, and the runes carved into the side illuminated, seemingly internally. He read the glowing text for a moment and then stood up, calling a ball of glowing flame to his hand and casting it into the centre of the room. Before it struck the floor, it split into many different orbs of fire and rose to the ceiling, forming conjured lighting for the chamber. The room was vast, decorated with the same murals and motifs as the chamber in the Netherealm, as well as the same dilapidation that had been present there too.

There was a wide flight of stairs leading to the floor in front of him that led to a wide gathering area, occupied by the shapes he had seen in the darkness. Now, in the light, he could finally see what they were. Standing below him was an enormous assembly of rotten figures, standing in ordered ranks and wearing armour. For the first time in a long while, Quan Chi grinned to himself, taking the amulet in his hand and staring at it for a moment. Here was its greater use.

* * *

Turning their backs on Moloch had been a mistake. No sooner had the three warriors turned to witness the fleeing shape of Quan Chi running towards the far door than the monster climbed back to its feet and savagely assaulted its opponents. Swatting the slighter sorcerer off his feet, the demon seized Scorpion in its clawed paw, before attempting to crush the third remaining combatant with his ball, smashing yet another huge crater in the floor when that individual refused to remain standing so that it could be obliterated. Howling angrily, the massive Oni seemed ready to return to the offensive, only to have his momentum stolen by Drahmin's insistent call for aid.

"The portal remains open!" the smaller demon barked, attempting to squirm out from under the debris that had all but covered him completely"; we can still be free, now get over here and help me!"

Momentarily surprised by the information its companion was asking it to consider, Moloch was not prepared for the ninja held in its left hand to take his spear and stab it into the flesh of its wrist. The brute threw up its arms in surprise and pain, letting Scorpion drop to the floor and take off running towards the portal with his larger opponent in hot pursuit, still looking to smash him for the inconvenience of his existence. Unfortunately for the true Oni however, its compatriot curbed its attention yet again, and it stopped obligingly to free the enraged and quivering form of Drahmin from its imprisonment under the wreckage. Rounding on the two emerald-clad combatants behind them, the brighter demon aimed an angry finger at them, as Brother Genais aided Omnis to his feet for what would be the second time that day.

"This isn't over!" he informed them angrily, to which Moloch roared in agreement. And with that, they pursued Scorpion out of the chamber and onto the portal bridge beyond.

"I think today has been quite productive," the remaining sorcerer informed his colleague, as he once again dusted himself off. The other fighter passed him his robe silently, putting his own on over his armour once again. The magically-imbued human shook his head wearily. "We aren't going to give up so easily, not this close," he said, his tone altering from one of jovial amusement to one that was determined and commanding", we _will_ get her back, even if we have to chase that amulet to the end of the realms."

Remaining silent, his partner walked towards the flaming light cast up from the room beyond. The portal continued to swirl and morph, having not closed since the two Oni had made their own leaps through it. "Shall we?" he asked, before falling sullenly quiet once more.

"I rather think we shall," Omnis replied, before they both started running.


End file.
